


Tutoring and Secret Crushes

by sugarmoons



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Confusion, Crushes, Harry's failing potions, Lucius is a homophobic asshole, M/M, Study Sessions, but not really, pining? I guess, tutor! Draco Malfoy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-09
Updated: 2019-11-09
Packaged: 2021-01-26 09:13:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21371716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sugarmoons/pseuds/sugarmoons
Summary: Snape's teaching is taking a toll on Harry's potions grade and in order to pass his exam he enlists the help of a tutor. The tutor though, just so happens to be Draco Malfoy which Harry believed he was less than happy with.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley (kinda it's there but they aren't together)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 133





	Tutoring and Secret Crushes

Exam revision was digging deep into Harry. Never did he feel such heavy pressure on his shoulders to prove himself. The Boy who Lived wasn't just a pretty face. Hermione was trying her best to aid him on his ventures towards perfect or at least good grades but working alongside her made Harry reevaluate how much time he'd wasted over the past couple of years. Whilst Hermione had been studying consistently he'd be mucking about with Ron without a care in the world.

Potions was his greatest worry, he was better than Hermione at defence against the dark arts and had taken his fathers knack for transfiguration. But potions was an entirely different planet. He couldn't get help from Snape and had relied solely on his peers for making sure he didn't explode his cauldron when the more difficult potions started to appear in the curriculum. If he didn't get proper help soon he was doomed to fail.

After hours of back and forth Harry allowed Hermione to make an ad for a Potion's tutor without Harry's name attached. All it said was:

POTIONS TUTOR NEEDED  
PAID AFTER EVERY SESSION  
THURSDAY NIGHTS  
IF INTERESTED OWL HERMIONE GRANGER

It was vague but Harry hoped that someone who was lacking cash would come by fast. He also hoped that Hermione's name attached didn't put anyone off. She was often referred to as the brightest witch of their generation and if people thought she was struggling then they were all headed for immediate failure. 

It took a week for any serious offers to come by. People had taken the opportunity of Hermione's open request for mail to take the piss and send her various unwanted messages, all of which were harmless but caused her great frustration. The first serious offer to come by was from the most surprising of wizards. 

Draco Malfoy.

Daddy's boy. Flaming rich. Draco Malfoy. Who Harry doubted needed any extra cash. Though Hermione had apparently heard why he was looking for job prospects.

"He's been cut off. Well not fully but enough to make him need to find some extra money to fulfil his monthly needs. Had a row with his father apparently, must of been serious if Draco's offering to be a tutor as well as sending me a letter out of all people."

"He can't be the only serious tutor though," Harry said worryingly.

There was no way in hell that Draco Malfoy was going to be Harry's tutor. No way would Harry subject himself to such a harsh form of humiliation. He could just imagine what their first session would be like.

_"Are you thick, Potter?", "How stupid can you be?", "Merlin, who knew that golden boy, Potter, was failing potions. Some hero you are."_

He groaned at the thought. 

"You're aren't exactly swimming for options, Harry. I'm sure some Gryffindor girls heard us in the common room because you've got various offers from girls who are about as crap at potions as you are."

"Hermione, this is Malfoy we're on about. Pureblood, supremacist Malfoy. I'd rather fail potions."

Hermione shook her head, "don't be so dramatic. As much as I hate his guts he's rather good at potions. If you take away his personality you've actually got the perfect candidate."

"One session and if he's an arse I'm never doing another."

Hermione had already pulled out a quill and some parchment. "Deal."

-

Draco retrieved a reply a day after he sent in his offer. In a neat scrawl was a date, time and place. Everything was there bar who was actually tutoring. He knew for a fact it wasn't Granger. He'd been battling for top spot of the class with her since first year. So who was hiding behind her name? Weasley? No, he would've asked Granger herself, giving him free time with her to just stare dreamily at her birds nest of hair. There wasn't a chance it was Potter. Golden boy wouldn't admit he'd made a mistake if you threatened him with the killing curse. Who in the world was hiding behind Hermione Granger? and why in the world were they doing it?

Harry sat idly twiddling his thumbs with his potions textbook and notes laid across the desk. He'd asked McGonagall for a free classroom a week prior and she'd happily complied as long as he swore it was only for studying. After a flustered minute of him explaining it wasn't she laughed it off and gave him the class number, telling him to leave it as he found it. 

Draco waltzed through various Hogwarts corridor before he found the classroom. He wished Granger had given him bloody directions because she'd seemed to have picked one of the most secluded and unused classrooms she could've found. He clasped the brass handle and looked on to his student for the night. Harry Potter, golden boy had actually asked for help without being threatened. 

"Laugh or mock and I'll leave and you won't get paid," Harry grumbled as Draco took the seat beside him

"You asked for help, Potter. Don't get annoyed when this doesn't match you're heroic lifestyle. You need to revise potions theory and I'm desperate for cash. It's a sound agreement and it'd been even better if we don't bite each others heads off."

Childishly Harry replied, "I won't if you won't."

"I wasn't going to anyways. Now, what chapters are you struggling with specifically."

"16 and 23."

"Let's start there then."

Draco was being civil. Oddly civil. If he'd acted like this all the time Harry believed they could've been friends, or at least acquaintances. 

They went through the chapters at a steady pace, Draco always making sure Harry understood before moving on. Draco explained things with precision, making everything clear and easy to understand. If Draco taught potions full-time Harry would've been passing with flying colours. By the end of the session Harry understood the two chapters and was eager to go over more.

"Thanks," Harry said handing Draco some money, "I actually have a chance at passing potions now."

Draco gave Harry a wink, "and now I have enough money to buy my mother a birthday present."

"About that, why were you cut off?" Harry knew it wasn't his place to ask but curiosity had been eating away at him since Hermione told him about it. How would Draco get cut off? What could he possibly do to disappoint his father so much that his usual flow of cash had suddenly been dammed shut. 

Draco's face fell, "I'll maybe tell you next week."

Harry didn't push and nodded before Draco walked away and out of sight. 

Sometimes Harry wanted to kick himself, grab a time turner and take back what ever he said to make the atmosphere so uncomfortable. Learn when to shut up and learn when to speak. 

He returned to the dorms with a bag full of new potions notes and his heavy textbook. Ron and Hermione sat expectantly on one of the common room couches waiting to see what had gone on. Harry plonked down on the armchair across from them.

"He was perfect and usually civil. I don't think I could've gotten a better tutor." Harry sighed, "We're on again for next week."

Ron scrunched his nose in disgust whilst Hermione gave a weak smile.

"Least now you'll pass potions," she reminded him.

"'Mione he has to spend every Thursday with that git, pretending to be friends whilst they go over potions. What was wrong with Hermione, Harry? She's bright as anything."

Hermione's cheeks grew pink at the comment she'd heard on numerous occasions. Hearing it from Ron made her brain melt, she was hardly bright if her brain was utter mush.

"I agree he's a git but I'm going to pass potions and that's all that matters."

"I guess so," Ron grumbled.

-

Harry was desperate for another study session with Draco. Snape had grilled him with questions and he managed to answer all but one of them perfectly. The look on Snape's face throughout the majority of the questioning was priceless as Harry proved him that he was capable of the subject.

He arrived ten minutes early, bouncing his leg up and down on the creaky floors. His notes were neatly placed on the desk and his textbook was open with certain chapters highlighted so Draco knew exactly what to go over. 

Draco was hesitant to return after last week. To answer Harry's question he'd have to confess something he thought he could suppress till he inevitably died. Lucius Malfoy was a notorious racist who hadn't really been outspoken about his homophobia. If it didn't fit in the picture perfect lifestyle he deemed fit for anyone of proper status, it was wrong. And Draco having a raging gay crush on Harry Potter was certainly deemed wrong.

He forced himself to push the classroom door open to reveal Harry extremely eager to learn. Everything was laid out across the desk ready to be used.

"Eager to learn aren't we, Potter?' He joked, making his lips break into a dazzling smile.

"Did you not see how shocked Snape was?! I swear he teaches me bad on purpose, he sees me and goes 'well if Potter is here I'm going to be the most spiteful shithead I can be'"

Draco laughed. Genuinely laughed. He'd never had shit from Snape but knew from watching him in class that he was a greasy bastard with a vendetta against Gryffindors, especially Harry. It wasn't even that funny, Harry wasn't even trying to make him laugh. But he still laughed. Maybe he was nervous. 

He was teaching the boy he had a major crush on and Harry was completely oblivious to it. Blinder than a bat. 

"So what chapters are we going over today?"

"24, 27 and 29."

"I might be presumptuous but I think you want to keep me here longer, Potter."

Harry couldn't hide his red face. "Maybe I do," He bit back.

"Then I would be in no place to argue."

Harry was sure Draco was making longer to write out methods and reasonings just to stay longer. Not that he minded. Draco's company was actually pleasant. Warmth blossomed within Harry's stomach whenever he thought about it.

By the end of the session they'd taken twice as long as last week and had a better time. Draco had brought snacks and for a solid ten minutes they tried to catch sweets in their mouths after throwing them in the air. They were going to need to tidy up afterwards or McGonagall might revoke their right to use the classroom. 

"My father cut me off because he read one of my letters to Pansy," Draco told him, 'I like this guy and he's filled to the brim with homophobia."

"That's shit. It's such a stupid reason to hate someone, then again pretty sure if I came out to my aunt and uncle, my aunt would faint and my uncle would chase me out of the house with a bat."

"Sometimes I wish I could change it. I feel broken. A wind up toy that doesn't wind up in the right direction so everyone fumbles with the key until they realise it's not worth it and they throw me away."

"This person, who you like, do they like guys?" Harry asked

"Wasn't really sure until recently, but yeah."

"Go for it." Harry encouraged,"You'll be selling yourself short if you don't Malfoy."

"I don't think he feels the same way, I'd be a very presuming person if I believed he did. We weren't even friends until recently." Draco delicately dropped hints in hope that Harry took the bait. He didn't.

"But you're, you can't wind me up about this, hot."

Draco with a red face snorted. "Holy fuck, Harry Potter thinks I'm hot. I'm running circles around half of the female population at this school."

"There is no way in merlin that half the female population likes me, that's like saying half the slytherin girls have a thing for you."

'Well they've hit a dead end there," He joked

Harry calmed down and his voice evened out into a caring tone, "Draco who is it? Seriously I'm trustworthy, both Ron and Hermione can vouch for that because both of them grudgingly likes the other but is too stubborn to admit it."

"Who do you think it is, _Harry_?"

"I'm clueless, Draco. If I knew who it was I'd been asking various other questions right about now."

"You have no idea,' Draco mumbled incoherently under his breath.

"What was that?" Harry asked confused.

"You are so bloody clueless Potter someone could tell it to you straight and you'd still be wondering if it was you they liked."

Harry blankly stared at Draco. Draco stared back until he saw Harry's face as it clicked. The sudden realisation. The confusion. Draco's eyes fell to the floor, focusing on a loose sweet that had fallen minutes prior.

"Why?"

"Fucks sake, Potter, I confess I like you and you ask why?"

Harry gave him a look, "Yes! We've had this childish rivalry since we were in first year and suddenly you like me. Are you seriously that masochistic? That would tear me to shreds."

Draco let the words fall before saying anything. The silence, soothing in the uncomfortable environment. "So you don't like me?"

"I didn't say that."

Draco's eyes lit up, "So you do?'

"I-I'm not sure, liking guys is so much more confusing. With girls it's-" he made quotation marks with his fingers "- 'normal' but guys is like a whole other not talked about territory. I tried with Hermione but it just felt so forced. I'm sorry."

Draco laughed again, 'Why are you sorry? Damn it, Potter, You're more of a mess than me. Come here."

Draco experimentally outstretched his long, slender arms and Harry carefully leaned into Draco's chest. Harry could hear Draco's heart pounding within the confines of his ribcage.

"You sound like you're panicking," Harry told him.

"It's not everyday the guy you like cuddles into your chest."

"Good point."

**Author's Note:**

> Here's a longer one than usual because I've been under a bunch of school stress.
> 
> Feedback is a godsend and I will love anyone who gives me any! ♡


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